FAWRA Overview

The Forest and Watershed Restoration Act (FAWRA) was created by House Bill 266 and signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on March 15, 2019. FAWRA allocates funding annually to the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Forestry Division (New Mexico State Forestry) for the purpose of restoring forests and watersheds in the state of New Mexico and establishes a Forest and Watershed Advisory Board to evaluate and recommend projects. When projects have been selected and approved, New Mexico State Forestry will administer, implement, and report on the projects.

Note: FAWRA is not a grant program. It is a way for the public, government, and non-governmental partners to recommend and develop projects in partnership with the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division (Forestry Division). The Forestry Division administers any projects initiated through the FAWRA and may choose to enter into agreements to implement projects on public lands with governmental entities at its own discretion.

Before submitting a proposal, proponents are strongly encouraged to consult full submission guidelines, available here. For more information, please visit the Forestry Division's FAWRA webpage.

The New Mexico Forestry Division (Division) is accepting requests for hazardous tree mitigation assistance from landowners impacted by the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Fire. Federal money supports the implementation of this project through the Division. The Division is hiring contractors who will plan and carry out hazard tree projects. Landowners requesting assistance will be evaluated for eligibility and prioritized based on the following criteria: 

1) The property must be in Mora County or San Miguel County within the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon burn scar. 

2) Hazard trees on the property must exist within two tree heights of roads, powerlines, and/or structures. Hazard trees include disaster-damaged trees that:

• are leaning more than 30 degrees from vertical, 
• have more than 50% of the canopy damaged, 
• have split trunk exposing the heartwood, or
• have 40% exposed roots. 

3) Properties in close proximity or adjacent to other landowners who have requested assistance will receive priority.

 Steps in the process: 

1. The Division will receive landowner’s requests and verify eligibility. 
2. A contractor will contact the landowner to schedule a site visit and develop a map indicating which trees are eligible for removal, how slash (tree residue) will be treated, and where logs will be placed or chipped on the landowner’s property. No slash or logs shall be removed from landowner properties as a part of this project. 
3. The contractor will submit the plan to the Forestry Division for approval. 
4. The Division will review the plan and work with the contractor on any necessary revisions.
5. The Division will issue a notice to proceed to the contractor for approved plans.
6. Work can begin on the property in accordance with approved plans.

The State of New Mexico, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division (Forestry Division) accepts grant applications for invasive plant management projects year-round. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Forest Service) regularly provides funds specifically to address areas where invasive plants threaten forested acres. As long as other federal money is not involved, eligible applicants are non-federal governmental entities, including tribes. Successful applicants shall be required to provide 1:1 matching funds. 

Projects must emphasize prevention and treatment of invasive plants and address any or all of the following: 

• awareness and education; 
• inventory and mapping; 
• planning and coordination; 
• integrated weed management; or 
• monitoring and evaluation. 

Applications may request a minimum of $5,000.00 and a maximum of $40,000.00. Purchase of items such as backpack sprayers, storage cabinets, storage tanks, or trailers are limited to a maximum of $5,000.00. 

The Forestry Division shall give the highest priority to projects that apply integrated management practices, demonstrate partnerships and commitment to monitoring results, and for projects that address priority species on the New Mexico Noxious Weed List.

Projects involving invasive plant species other than those on the state’s noxious weed list may be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Forestry Division encourages cooperation with federal agencies, although their efforts may not be included as match and federal agencies are not eligible to receive funds for treatment. When listing the partnerships, applicants shall provide the name of any agencies that will be participating and a contact person who will be representing the agency for the purpose of this project. The Forestry Division may contact listed partners during application review to verify their involvement.
 

ADDITIONAL NOTICES 

• All applicants must complete and submit a Financial Capability Questionnaire with their Application. Once filled out, this can be uploaded below.

• All applicants must review the criteria indicated on the Federal Eligibility Checklist. Successful applicants will be required to comply with the Federal Eligibility Checklist.

• Award of agreements is contingent upon sufficient appropriations and authorization being made by the Forest Service and the State of New Mexico. 

• Where applicable, applicants must factor in Governmental Gross Receipts Tax (GGRT) as part of their responses. Any response that does not clearly indicate GGRT is included in the cost section may be deemed non-responsive and rejected. 

• The Forestry Division may reject any and all applications when it is in the State of New Mexico’s best interest. 

• The Forestry Division may conduct discussions with applicants who submit applications but may also accept applications without such discussions. 

• This program does not reimburse indirect costs. The Forestry Division shall not allow more than 10% in administrative costs. 

• The last funded project may receive only partial funding if the Forestry Division lacks sufficient monies to fully-fund that project. Project contacts will be notified by the Forestry Division Program Manager before any partial funding is approved.
 

SUBMISSION AND REVIEW 

Applications are batch-reviewed periodically according to available funds and program demand and scored according to criteria listed below. The latest information on expected review timelines is updated on the NM Forestry Division’s Invasive Plants Program webpage. To submit an application, create an account and offerors shall submit their proposal using the Forestry Division’s Submittable webpage.
 

Questions may be submitted to:

Ash Taylor

Invasive Plant Program Coordinator and Field Botanist

EMNRD, Forestry Division

1220 S. St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505 

Telephone: 505-490-0580

ashley.taylor@emnrd.nm.gov
 

The State of New Mexico, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division  is seeking applications for urban and community forestry projects to assist communities in developing and maintaining sustainable stewardship of urban and community forestry resources in New Mexico. 

Eligible applicants  are non-federal governmental entities, including public colleges and universities and tribes (as long as other federal money is not involved).  Projects located on lands owned or administered by the federal government are not eligible for this funding.

Applications may request any amount up to $60,000.00. The Forestry Division reserves the right to partially fund projects. Project contacts will be notified by the Forestry Division Program Manager before any partial funding is approved. 

The focus of the grants are on projects that occur within or deliver 100 percent of the projects benefits to communities identified as disadvantaged by the federal government. Applicants must use federal online vulnerability and environmental justice equity data tools to support a disadvantaged community designation (e.g., White House Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), the EPA Environmental Justice and Screening Mapping Tool, and EPA EnviroAtlas Interactive Map). Projects that occur outside of areas identified as disadvantaged may still be funded but it may be at a lower amount. 

Applications will be accepted year round and batch-reviewed periodically according to available funds and program demand.  The latest information on expected review timelines is updated on the Forestry Division’s webpage, here: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SFD/RFPs/RFPMain.html. 

Applicants must submit their proposals on the Forestry Division’s Submittable webpage using this link: https://emnrd-sfd.submittable.com/submit.  

Scope of Work 

Projects must emphasize the development and management of community forests.  Projects located on lands owned or administered by the federal government are not eligible for this funding.  Applicants must collaborate with applicable landowners to obtain any needed permissions or permits. Examples of eligible project activities include but are not limited to:

• community forestry program development or improvement such as the creation of management plans, ordinances, tree boards, site preparation (clearing invasives, removing concrete), tree plantings, wood waste program creation, food forest creation, invasive detection, tree maintenance (mulch, irrigation, pruning,      removal), inventory, green infrastructure, assessment, or monitoring; 
• professional  development to create or expand the technical skillset of a diverse and inclusive urban forestry workforce such as the development of classes, implementation of  workshops, registration to attend conferences;
• public outreach and education promoting community involvement in urban forestry such as community events, surveys, engagement, creation of publications, multimedia, and trainings.

Any projects that involve tree removal such as site preparation or tree maintenance that includes removal must also include replanting in their proposal. 

Any projects that involve planting must include a planting plan including tree species and size selection, tree planting methods to be used, irrigation plans, and long-term maintenance plans. Successful Offerors with tree planting projects must have a community forest ordinance, policy, or management plan that designates legal responsibility for the care of trees in the community. Successful Offerors shall follow American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z60.1 nursery standards and ANSI A300 tree planting standards.

Funds cannot be used to purchase capital equipment costing more than $5,000.00 but may be used to rent equipment, and cannot be used for land acquisition or construction. This program does not reimburse indirect costs. The Forestry Division shall not allow more than 10% in administrative costs.

Questions:

Alyssa O’Brien

Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager

EMNRD, Forestry Division

1220 S. St. Francis Drive

Santa Fe, N.M., 87505

Telephone: (505) 690-8531

Alyssa.OBrien@emnrd.nm.gov

The full RFP is available on the Forestry Division website,  https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/requests-for-proposals-and-grants/ or by contacting Alyssa O’Brien.
 

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